Fruit juice extracting and distributing method



May 1o, 193s,

FRUIT JUICE EXTRACTING AND DISTRIBUTING METHOD `Filed July 1v, 193e To mcuz/ Pa/MP ATTORNEY Patented May 1o, 193el UNITED STATES FRUIT JUICE EX'rnAo'rTNG AND DIS- TRTBUTTNG METnon Valentine Ruch, Englewood, N. J. Application July 17, 1936, Serial No. 91,042

5 claims. (ci. ca -155) limited to extracting or distributing, and in others not even to preserving of fruit juices.

Objects of the invention areto provide an improved method of this kindfor effectively pret serving the juices practically indefinitely without deterioration in taste or otherwise, and for pre venting the start of fermentation. A

Other objects of the invention are to accomplish the above method without heating the juice, to prevent the separation of the water from the solids of the juice, and to decrease the volume and weightl of the juice to save transportation and storage costs.

Additional objects of the invention are to improve generally the simplicity and eiiiciency oi' such methods and to provide an extremely simple method of this kind which is economical, effective. and reliable in operation, and economical to install.

Still other objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds; and while herein details of the invention are described in the specification and some of the claims, the invention is not limited to these, since many and variousv changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention .as claimed in the broader claims.

The inventive features for the 4accomplishment of these and other objects'are shown herein in connection with a fruit juice extracting and distributing method which briey stated, includes precooling the whole fruit before cutting, extracting the juice while .the fruit is cold, and subjecting the juice toa partial vacuum, while agitating 40 and slowly freezing the juice to slush form. The

slush is then frozen to solid brick form or other desired form and kept in this solid form until ready for use, at which time it is defrosted at room temperature, in a refrigerator or at other temperature.

The drawing shows diagrammatically, by way of example, one of many possible apparatus by which the method may be performed.

My method of extracting and distributing juices of fruit is sultablefor the juice of citrus fruits, pineapple, pear, berry and fruit juices and liquids in general, but is particularly suitable for citrus fruits, and will here be so described. iThe citrus fruit is precooled at about 40 degrees F., and is then cut, without peeling, at

in some-of the broader claims the invention is not right angles to its segments and subjected to a Teaming or squeezing process or both for extracting the juice, after` which the extracted material isstrained to remove seed, but is not filtered, as filtering would remove pulp, which contains vitamin C".

This process of extraction and straining un-A avoidably incorporates some air into .the juice, which is undesirable, as the oxygen of the air attacks the juice, especially its vitamines, and if 10 allowed to remain causes undesirable fermentation and oxidation of the juice. Therefore my method provides for the immediate removal of the air from the juice. I

To this end, immediately after straining, the v15 juice is subjected to a partial or approximate vacuum for V2 to 5 minutes, preferably about a minute, for extracting the air from the juice. thereby extracting fermentation supporting oxygen from the juice and .the foam that forms 20 thereon.l To accomplish this, the juice is run through pipe 5 into the vacuum tank B until a proper quantity of juice is in the tank, as indicated by the gage l, whereupon valves 8, 9 and Ill are closed. Then the valve I2 is opened and '25 air in vacuum tank 6 isdrawn out through .the pipe I4 by a vacuum pump, (not shown) to which the pipe is connected, thus producing a partial vacuum in the tank.

This partial vacuum causes the withdrawal of 30 the air from the juice, causing foamto collect thereon, but the reduced pressure causes foam bubbles to expand and rupture, asalso does the shock of the returning atmospheric pressure incident to closing the valve I2 and opening the 35 valve B. The combination of these two physical forces flattens out the foam and removes substantially all the air imprisoned in the foam and much of the air from the body of the juice. No

pulp is removed by this process. 40

The admission of atmospheric pressure through the 'valve Il allows the foam-free juice to run by gravity, through the pipeJG into the freezer cylinder IT (having a jacket I1' for the freezing medium), when vthe valve 9 is opened'and the '45' valve member I8 is raised from .the seat I9 by the raising of the stem I 8 by means of the lever 20 pivoted on Vthe shaft 2l and provided with a handle 22. Thev stem I8' passes through a suitable stuflng box I8. The valve 25 at the bottom of the freezer was previously closed, Aand when suiliclentjuice has run from the tank Sinto the cylinder, as indicated by the gage 1 the valves 9 and I2 are closed,` valve Ilisppened and a partial vacuum 5g;

is produced in the space 26 in the upper part of the cylinder. 'I'he shaft 21 and dash 28 are then set in motion by a suitable source of power (not shown) and the partial vacuum is sustained while the juice is agitated and slowly Afrozen at about 28 degrees F. or other suitable temperature for about 5 to 10 minutes, until it reaches a consistency of mush or slush, thereby to prevent the separating out of the solids and the formation of scum during the defrosting later to be mentioned. The partial vacuum prevents reentry of air into the juice during freezing. The valve 25 operated by the handle 25b is pivoted at l25a and slides on a vertical face of the discharge end of a spout 25c.

The pressures of the partial vacuum in the tank 6 and freezer may be between 20 and 29 inches of mercury, preferably about 24 inches; and the removal of air as a result of the partial vacuum in the spaces 6 and 26 reduces the volume of the product about 32%.

The valve 25 is then opened, and the slush run into containers or molds. The slush in these containers is then stored in a hardening room at about .0 degree to degrees F. to freeze the slush to solid form.

Said containers may be two-quart cardboard containers or containers of other sizes, shapes or materials, if desired lined with parchment paper, bags or other linings. Or the slush may be frozen in molds and merely Wrapped in parchment paper or the like.

The product is now ready for shipment or storing in containers, or ready for use when having been defrosted.

I claim as my invention:

1'. A fruit juice extracting and distributing method which comprises precooling the whole fruit before cutting; extracting the juice while the fruit is cold; subjecting the juice to a partial vacuum, and then to atmospheric pressure; again subjecting the juice to a partial vacuum, while agitating and slowly freezing the juice to slush form; then freezing the slush to solid form and keeping in solid form until ready for use; and then defrosting.

2. A fruit juice extracting and distributing method which comprises waxing and then precooling whole fruit to at least about 40 degrees F.; -cutting the fruit and extracting the juice while the fruit is still cool;`subjecting the juice with the pulp still therein to a partial vacuum for extracting air therefrom;`then exposing the juice to atmospheric pressure for a short time A to iiatten the resulting foam; then subjecting the juice with the pulp still therein to a partial vacuumand simultaneously agitating and slowly freezing to slush form; running the slush into containers; storing at about 0 to 10 F. to freeze the slush to solid form and keeping it solid until ready for use; yand then defrosting.

3. A method of treating fruit juice comprising whole citrus fruit to at least running the juice into a mix-freeze cylinder of a freezer,then subjecting the juice to a low pressure partial vacuum of between about to 29 inches of mercury in the freezer thereby preventing absorption of air by the juice, and simultaneously agitating, as with a rotary dasher and slowly freezing the juice at about 28 degrees F. for about 5 to 10 minutes until the juice is frozen to homogeneous mush or slush form thereby to prevent the separating out of the vitamin C-bearing solids and the formation of scum during later defrosting; running the slush into containers; storing in a hardening room at about 0 to 10 F. to freeze the slush to brick form; shipping or storing unsealed in the containers or stacked in bricks wrapped in cooking paper or other suitable material until ready for use; and then defrosting at room temperature.

4. A method of treating juices of fruit such as citrus fruits, said method comprising thoroughly precooling( the whole fruit to a non-freezing temperature at about 40 degrees F. to prevent start of fermentation therein; cutting the fruit without peeling and extracting the juice I from the cut fruit by pressing or reaming, while the fruit is still at 40 degrees F. or below. whereby foam is formed; immediately subjecting the juice to a partial or approximate vacuum for 1/2 to 5 minutes for extracting the air. from the foam and juice and expanding the residual air in the foam, thereby extracting fermentation supporting oxygen from the juice and foam: then immediately removing said foam by exposing the juice to atmospheric pressure. whereby the foam bubbles are attened and the foam and air therein substantially eliminated; then Asimultaneously subjecting the juice to low pressure, agitating and slowly freezing to vfreezing the slush to solid form.

5. A fruit juice extracting and distributing method which comprises thoroughly precooling about 40 degrees F. to prevent start of fermentation therein; cutting the fruit without peeling and extracting the juice from the cut fruit by pressing or reaming. while the fruit is still at 40 degrees F. or below; immediately subjecting the juice to a partial vacuum for extracting the air, thereby extracting fermentation supporting oxygen; then immediately exposing the j'uiceto atmospheric pressure; then subjecting the juice to a low pressure partial vaouum to prevent'reabsorption of air, and simultaneously agitating and slowly freezing the mixture at about 28 F. until the juice is frozen to slush form thereby to prevent the separating out of the solids and the formation of scum during later defrosting and reducing the volume about 32%; running the slush into containers; storing in a hardening room at about 0 to 10 F. to freeze the slush to solid form; storing or shipping the bricks; and defrosting.

' j VALENTINE RUCH.

slush form; 

